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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cap — of ice
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cap — a lid
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wind — moving air
  16. present — there
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com